Dear Tourism Partner,

We could spend hours and hours discussing marketing your bed and breakfast or tourism business for this sake. However, the main purpose of this article is to get you thinking in terms of what you'll need to do to market your establishment.

If we ask you, "What is marketing?" what would you say? Take a minute and write down whatever comes to your mind! Marketing is probably all the things just thought of but if we get right down to the very basics of marketing hospitality and tourism then we could say:

Marketing is satisfying your guests (customers) needs and wants.

Needs: Gaps between what your guests (customers) have and what they would like to have.

Wants: Needs of which your guests (customers) are aware.

The inability to understand your guests (customers) needs and wants can be a serious threat to your business. As B&B operators, we are here to serve the guests (customers). Their needs are priority #1!

Seven Principles of Marketing

Marketing Mix

The traditional 4 "P's" of marketing are:

1. Product: What it is that you have to offer or sell or service to provide.
2. Place: Your location, where the product or service will be sold. Considering distribution channels to help you sell. Who else can you work with?
3. Promotion: The different techniques you will use to sell your service. ie: ads, coupons, special events.
4. Price: How much will you charge? You must consider what your costs are and if your pricing will cover them. You may not make a living from the income from a small four bedroom B&B, but you certainly don't want to lose money.

In addition we must also consider the 4 "P's" of the hospitality industry.

1. People: The tourism industry is a people industry. People are the reason why we exist -- to satisfy their needs and wants. Your guest (customer) is part of the experienced purchase.
2. Packaging: Being guest-oriented. Find out what the customer wants and needs and then supply it satisfactorily.
3. Programming: Also guest-oriented. These are the special things you can provide for guests to give extra added appeal to their stay.
4. Partnership: Cooperative efforts among other B& Bs or other hospitality/tourism organisations. There is a great value in cooperation. Since we're all in the same boat, if we row together, we'll get the guest (customer) where he wants to be. Resulting in a satisfied guest (customer) which will be more likely a return one.

Marketing takes a lot of effort. It cannot be done in a hurry because making assumptions without knowing the real facts can be catastrophic.

As with many other things, the old saying "the best laid plans may go astray" holds true with marketing. Plans are meant to change; they cannot stay static. Let's take a look at the basic steps in marketing to get you thinking as you start your planning process or perhaps make changes to decisions you've already made.

Planning
Here we want to ask, "Where are we now, and where would we like to be?" If you are to succeed you must be realistic and look at both your strengths and weaknesses.
Carrying Out
In this stage we ask, "How do we get there?" A marketing plan is key. It will act as our blueprint for action. You can think of it as your road map. Use the map to make sure you get to the place you want to be.
Controlling
Here we ask, "How do we make sure we get there?" Simply having a plan doesn't mean you'll follow it or that it will succeed. There must be some checks and controls along the way. Allow time and ways to evaluate your plans. If a change is needed, you can adjust and then get on with where you want to be.
Measuring/Evaluating
We spend a lot of time putting our plans together but often fail to plan for any way to measure the results we're getting. We learn from both successes and mistakes. Evaluation -- yours and your guests' -- will help you answer the question, "How do we know if we got there?" From there, the cycle can begin again until you're satisfied with your planning and the results obtained.

Will enough of them buy your service? In doing a target market analysis you need to ask several key questions:

• Who is/are the market/s we want to reach with our product?
• What are the needs they are trying to satisfy?
• Where do they live? Where do they buy? Where do they travel?
• When do they buy?
• How will they buy the product? (Cash, credit, etc.)
• How many of them can we attract with our product?

This may take a lot of time and research on your part. Are there other sources of secondary research you can go to ? Where or who would they be? (The local Chamber of Commerce, local businesses, a local college, and B&B associations are among the most likely.)

This is more often done on an existing business do determine, "Where are we now?" But a new business can benefit from this as well. Try to think of it as the SWOT theory, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

It will help you with your long term planning and in developing marketing plans. Start with the big picture and work your way down. When you know the answers to all of these points, you are better able to position yourself.

• Environment: Usually uncontrollable on your part -- what is the picture right now? Economic, social, and cultural issues will all affect the feasibility of your operation.
• Location/Community: Are there any events, business openings/closings, expansion/development, etc., that could impact positively or negatively on your B&B?
• Competitors: Do you have any? What kinds of services do they provide? Can you match or exceed them? How do they promote their establishments? Often, B&B owners don't see other establishments as competition, but as cooperators -- but this is not always the case.
• Market Potential: Is there even a need for another B&B in your town? Or one at all?
• Services: What can you provide that will make you stand out above others? Are you willing to do it?

Maybe you've never really given much thought to the way you make decisions about buying certain products or services but there is a definite pattern in making these decisions.

You and your guests make all types of decisions. Some are routine and require very little thought while others are extensive because they involve a great deal of money. Modern guests will usually do a lot of research before choosing a place to stay, especially for a pleasure trip or if they plan to spend a significant amount.

Of course, this process also depends on the person. How many of you can just take off on a minutes notice for a trip and be perfectly happy wherever you end up staying? Or do you spend months in advance planning out every step of the trip? These are the basic steps:

• A need exists
• Search for information
• Evaluate the alternatives that are available
• Making the actual reservation/purchase/stay
• Post evaluation

As the establishment owner, we want to do all we can to help reduce any "perceived risks" the guests may have about a stay with us. Your service will be evaluated based on what the guests perceptions are -- not yours!

As you think about who will stay with you in your B&B, these are some questions you will need to ask yourself. You alone can determine your target market or niche. Realize that you will not be able to serve and satisfy everyone's needs.

Can you answer the questions discussed above? If not, then you need to do some more planning and research before you can say "my marketing is working for me and my guests".

Please note: This information was originally written by Eleanor Ames, a Certified Family Consumer Sciences professional and a faculty member at Ohio State University.

With reference to our article about Absa Bank Limited's foreign exchange service we wish to place on record that the mentioned bank liaised with us after our comment came to their attention. Absa attended to the complaint and undertook to ensure that there will in future be no repeats of the inferior service rendered by certain employees of the bank.